Preparing for the baptism service

Preparations for baptism are made in close connection with the local parish. Therefore, the first thing to do is contact the parish office and tell them about your wish to get baptised or have your child baptised. The parish office will help you pick a time and place for the event. They will also assign a pastor to officiate at the baptism. If you have a certain pastor in mind, for example your family pastor, wedding pastor, or confirmation pastor, you should contact that pastor directly to ask whether they would take care of the baptism. Remember to inform the parish office if you have asked a pastor from elsewhere.

The pastor will make an appointment with you a few weeks before the baptism date to discuss about the meaning of baptism, the choice of godparents, and the details of the ceremony. If appropriate, also the names to be given in baptism to your child will be discussed. It is natural to have this discussion in your home, especially if you want the ceremony to take place there. But of course, you can also meet at the parish office or the church or chapel where the baptism will take place.

Baptism gown

Small children are usually dressed in a long white gown, whereas youth and adults wear an alb at baptism. The white colour symbolises purity and holiness. Many families have a gown that is passed on within the family and that may even have the names of the baptised children embroidered in it. You can also make or buy a new gown for your child. It is possible to borrow a gown from your parish for the occasion. Remember to check availability and reserve one well in time.

Baptism table

If the ceremony takes place at home, you will be asked to prepare a baptism table, which acts as a small altar. It would be good to cover the table with a white linen and adorn it with a candle, a Bible, and fresh flowers. The candle is a symbol of prayer and of the light of Christ, but it also has a very practical purpose. The pastor will use it to light the baptism candle after the child has been baptised. If you have a wedding Bible, it will serve well as a reminder of the marriage vows you made to one another. These promises also form the foundation for a safe and loving home for the child.

Hymns and songs

Since the baptism ceremony is a form of Christian worship, hymns or spiritual songs are an integral part of the celebration. In the Finnish Hymnal, there is a section of baptism hymns, hymns 214–219. Some of these hymns are only appropriate for infant baptism. Also the section “Children” (hymns 490–503) and hymn 971 are popular choices at the baptism of children. For young people, you will find some well-known hymns from the sections “Confirmation” (hymns 233–237) and “Youth” (hymns 504–517). The following hymns are available in Finnish and English:

• 214: Kun kasteen Jordanvirrassa – To Jordan came our Lord, the Christ
• 233: Oi Isä, Poika, Henki Herran – Baptized into your name most holy
• 234: Jeesus, saavun kutsustasi – Jesus, help me to awaken
• 237: Jo nuoruuteni aikana – Lord, may Your Word be dear to me
• 490: Mä silmät luon ylös taivaaseen – I turn my gaze unto heav’n on high
• 491: Oi Jumala, et hylkää pientä lasta – O God, a little child Thou ne’er forsakest
• 492: Ystävä sä lapsien – Friend of children, God’s dear Son
• 493: Jeesus, lasten auttaja – Jesus, Friend of Children, dear
• 494: Luoja enkeleineen – God with all His angels
• 495: Taivaan Isä, nostit minut – Heav’nly Father, You have raised me
• 496: Oi Jeesus, ota syliisi – O Jesus, lift us little ones
• 498: Nyt kulkee halki korpimaan – The pathway of a child of God
• 507: Herra, lahjanasi sain nuoren elämäni – Father, guide me in Your truth
• 508: Valkeus kirkas päällä synkän maan – Lead, kindly light
• 517: Herra, kädelläsi – In your hand, my Saviour
• 971: Maan korvessa kulkevi lapsosen tie – Through dark woods so scary

Bible readings

The baptism service will always include a reading of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). When a child is baptised also the Children’s Gospel (Mark 10:13–16) is read. In addition, you may want to choose other Bible readings.

The order of service (infant baptism)

Whether the baptism takes place in church or at home, it seldom starts exactly on time. Often, the last-minute preparations take more time than anticipated. When all is ready, the service opens with a hymn, after which the pastor speaks the words of blessing and introduction.

Questions and exhortation

The pastor asks the parents what name they have given the child. He also asks parents and godparents whether they will take responsibility of the Christian upbringing of the child (or alternatively, he will exhort them to do so).

Sign of the cross

Next, the pastor will make the sign of the cross on the forehead and the chest of the child. This is followed by a prayer and the reading of the Children’s Gospel (Mark 10:13–16), often by one of the parents, grandparents, or godparents. The pastor will then give a short speech (sermon or homily).

The actual ritual of baptism is introduced by the reading of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20), in which Jesus institutes the sacrament of baptism. Again, this can be read by one of the parents, grandparents, or godparents. The whole congregation then joins in the confession of faith, using the Apostles’ Creed.

Baptism

On the joint profession of faith, the child is then baptised in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The pastor will pour out water three times on the child’s head. It is good to have an extra white cloth at hand to wipe the water dripping from the child’s head. Often, this is an important privilege given to an elder sibling or other child present at the ceremony. The pastor will ten light the baptism candle and hand it to one of the parents. The candle symbolises the light of Christ.

The service continues with a prayer of intercession, in which parents, grandparents, godparents, and other guests may participate, followed by the Lord’s Prayer. The pastor blesses the whole congregation with the Benediction, and the congregation sings the closing hymn.